


Seven People Shawn and Eric Told and One They Didn't Have To

by musiwrites



Series: Five to One [3]
Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-14
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-01-24 19:59:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1615235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musiwrites/pseuds/musiwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shawn and Eric telling the most important people in their lives about their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Amy & Alan

**Author's Note:**

> I feel it's only fair to warn you all that I'm posting this literally the second it's done, so beware of excessive emotion (I usually have to tone down the first draft) and probably a few errors here and there.  
> I decided to post these as individual chapters since they started coming out so much longer than the first two fics in the series. I'll be finished posting by the end of the week!
> 
> Won't make much sense as a stand alone so I recommend reading the other two (or at least the first one) in the series first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of Feb 9th, 2016, this chapter has finally been edited!!

[1] Mr. & Mrs. Matthews

Eric can scarcely recall having ever been this nervous to tell his parents something before. He's sure there've been times, but now that he’s here, sweating bullets on his parent’s front step, it’s hard to bring any to mind. 

They spent a lot of time talking about who they should tell first, who to tell together and who to tell separate. They’re still deciding about some of their friends, but it was pretty easy to agree that Amy and Alan should be told first, and together. They’ve been like surrogate parents to Shawn, and they are Eric’s parents, it felt like it would be ungrateful not to tell them first. Not to mention, Eric is more afraid of his parent’s rejection than anyone else’s. Better to get it out of the way first, if they’re okay with it, he knows things will be okay, no matter how everyone else reacts. Shawn is still more nervous about Cory, he can tell, but he’s happy to tell Amy and Alan first, out of respect if nothing else.

They'd figured that if they told his parents they were coming to visit, on their own, without Cory and Topanga, it would've probably just made them suspicious and worried and they'd start asking if something was wrong and maybe even ask Cory and the whole thing would be a mess. Of course they could've always just asked Cory and Topanga if they'd have liked to come along but then they'd have had to tell everyone at once and had to pretend the entire trip down that they were just friends and roommates and that just felt a little too overwhelming. So in the end Eric had requested a weekend off and Shawn had shuffled around a few of his shoots and now here they are.

Shawn runs his hand over Eric's back and drops it down to the hand clenched at his side give his fingers a light, reassuring squeeze. It's just enough to pull him away from his thoughts and give him the push he needs to take a deep breath and raise his hand to knock. The door swings open a few moments later, during which Eric isn’t sure he breathes at all, and Amy greets them with a wide smile and open arms. Though, Eric doesn't miss the slight confusion coloring her expression.

"Boys!" She exclaims, leaning forward and pulling them into tight hugs one by one along with a quick peck to each of their cheeks. When she pulls back she raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms "Not that I'm not delighted to see you both, but should I be worried?" Eric forces out a laugh and does his best to sound casual.  
"Hah! No, what? Why would you be worried!? Nothing to worry about here, right buddy?" He punctuates the end of his sentence by clapping Shawn on the shoulder and does his best not to cringe at how severely he's pretty sure he just failed to reassure his mom. Judging by Amy’s expression and Shawn’s sigh, he’s pretty sure they agree.

They’re being ushered through the door and onto the couch when the kitchen door creaks. They’re joined in the living room by Alan a moment later.  
"Eric! Shawn!" He’s smiling wide but his expression falls slightly when he picks up on the boy’s shared nervousness and the slight concern edging Amy’s expression. He takes a seat on the arm of the chair where Amy sits, to the side of the couch, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.  
"Is everything alright?"

Eric releases a shaky breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. He’s lost for how to continue, but Shawn rests a reassuring hand over the small of his back, and speaks with a much stronger voice than Eric thinks he could summon, right now.  
“There’s something we need to tell you.” Both eyes directed at them narrow lightly, but their expressions remain open. Eric is quite sure he didn’t imagine his mother’s eyes dropping quickly to the space between them, or lack thereof.

"Alright, you’re making us a little nervous, but you boys know you can tell us anything, go on." Alan prods, gently.

They glance at each other, and Eric wishes they'd decided ahead of time who would do most of the talking. Eric know’s he should be the one, they are his parents, afterall. Besides, Shawn already has to be strong for so many people in his life, and he knows he’s not that much less nervous than Eric, right now, he doesn’t want to add to that. Shawn looks ready to take the plunge but Eric grabs his hand, quickly, squeezing, and speaks before he can scare himself out of it.

"We're dating." He feels Shawn squeeze his hand in return as he says it. He takes a deep breath and repeats himself, more steadily. "Shawn and I, we're together. We have been for a while now." He can't help grinning slightly through his nervousness when he says it and glances over to Shawn, who is looking at him with such appreciation he has to look away to stay in the moment. It fills him with a reassuring warmth as he turns back to his parents. He can’t quite decipher either of their expressions.

He's just about to say that he really wishes one of them would say something because it's only been a few seconds, he's sure, but they've been the longest few seconds of his life.  
"Oh, boys." Amy sighs, her eyes go glassy and her voice wobbles, but it doesn’t worry him. They aren’t angry tears, or even sad tears.  
Alan shakes his head and sighs, before looking back to them.  
"I- well I think I can safely speak for both of us when I say we didn't see this coming." For a moment Eric's nerves rise, but Alan continues "But I hope you didn't think for one second" he looks them in the eyes, placing emphasis on every word "That we would ever love you any less for this. You’re family." Eric wants to laugh, somehow, before Alan turns his attention to Shawn. “That means you too, Hunter. We love you like our own son, this doesn’t change that.” Shawn chokes out a thank you, voice strangled by emotion, and Eric wraps an arm around him, pulling him close for his own sake as much as Shawn’s.

Eric promised himself he wouldn't cry, so he doesn't speak. He feels so full of emotion right now he's pretty sure if he opens his mouth he won't be able to hold back.

"So," Shawn speaks, after a moment. There's only the slightest waver to his voice now and Eric can't help but lean in closer to him "You guys are really okay with this?" Amy lets out a laugh and reaches forward to grip their clasped hands.  
"It'll take some getting used to, I’m not going to lie, but of course we're okay with it. As long as you make each other happy, that's all that counts."  
"Besides," Alan joins in "This way we don’t need to worry about either of you ending up with someone who’s not good enough for you."

Amy pulls them both into a hug and after a moment Alan joins as well. It's a bit corny, but Eric can feel the relief washing through him. It's a minute or two before they pull away.

"Mrs. Matthews, Mr. Matthews, I really can't tell you how much this means to both of us." Shawn’s voice still isn’t entirely steady, but it’s lighter. "Eric, especially, of course. But, you guys have always treated me like family, you've been like parents to me and you've always accepted me into your lives. Into Cory’s life, and now into Eric’s. So, just- thank you. It means more than I could ever tell you." And of course that's his parent's queue to pull Shawn back in for another hug and remind him that he's always welcome in their home, that in their eyes he's family, and doesn't he think it's about time he started calling them by their names, Alan asks him with a laugh. Overall, things couldn't have gone much better.

They spend the night, and for a moment or two the subject of sleeping arrangements is a little awkward, but the moment passes and once he's curled up on the spare bed with Shawn he knows that there will be more awkward moments and conversations with his parents, he knows that they've still got other people to tell. But he knows also that the hardest part is over. His parents know, they still love him, they still love Shawn.

There was never any real doubt that they would, but he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been able to stop his fears from spiralling towards the worst. But, now he's here in his childhood home, and he's in the arms of the person he wants to be near more than anyone else, and he knows that however things end up, it's going to be alright.


	2. Morgan & Joshua

[2] Morgan & Joshua

The morning after they’ve told Amy and Adam, they’re lingering at the table while Morgan and Joshua eat breakfast. Amy is out weeding, and Alan is upstairs still. Eric is aware he should probably tell his sister and brother about them, but it’s a little awkward. The age gap between he and Morgan means he still treats her mostly like a kid, and the fact that they don’t see each other often anymore means she mostly lets him, so he’s not sure how to approach a subject like this with her. Joshua, he’s sure, won’t particularly understand or care either way.

“So.” He says, awkwardly pointed. He can practically feel Shawn rolling his eyes next to him. Morgan looks up.  
“So.” She deadpans back. Eric spends another silent moment staring at his little sister, wondering what the hell he’s supposed to say now, while she looks back at him like she’s reconsidering their relation.  
“Are you ever going to speak?”  
“Shut up, yes. Just give me a minute, brat.” His tone is affectionate, still. She rolls her eyes but grins at him.  
“Sure, I’ll be waiting.”

After a few minutes, he continues.  
“Morgan, are any of your friends gay?” She looks up at him, clearly confused as to why he’s asking her.  
“Um, I don’t know, maybe, why?” Eric shrugs “Well. I’m not gay, strictly, but I like men.” Morgan raises her eyebrows, before her expression narrows, thoughtful. His sister has always been quick, so he’s not all that surprised when she follows up with “You like Shawn, you mean.” Shawn laughs a little under his breath and Eric looks over to see his smile, before turning back to his sister. “Yeah, I like Shawn.” Morgan rolls her eyes.  
“God, Eric, learn to be a little more direct.” Eric laughs and kicks her chair. Really, out of everyone Morgan was probably the least likely to be weird about them, so he doesn’t know why he was nervous at all. Joshua, who has been silently watching their exchange, up until now, starts humming a song, clearly having lost interest. Eric turns back to Shawn, the younger man reaches out to place a hand over the nape of his neck.  
“Now we can relax?” Eric smiles.  
“Yeah, now we can relax.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to come talk about feelings and 90s after school specials with me I'm @musiwrites on tumblr and @musiwrites on twitter.


End file.
